1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for examining spectral characteristics of an object. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automated apparatus and method for examining spectral characteristics of a color filter used in optical devices, liquid crystal display (LCD) panels and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there has been an increased demand for color filters with excellent qualities due to the rapid development of semiconductor and optical devices. The color filters may be formed by dying color registers or spraying pigments onto the color registers. The pigments must be carefully monitored during production in order for the color filters to be able to extract precise colors from an incident light source.
In a conventional production line for a 200 mm color filter, spectral characteristics of the 200 mm color filter may be detected and examined by a spectral module attached to a microscope. However, these systems have numerous shortcomings, including: the inability to examine a sample larger than a 200 mm substrate and the inability to accept substrates having a range of sizes. Further, even if the conventional apparatus could accept a 300 mm substrate for examination, the 300 mm substrate may be warped when mounted on the smaller chuck, and spectral characteristics of the 300 mm substrate may be distorted. In addition, the conventional apparatus requires that the substrate be loaded and unloaded manually. This sample replacement, whether manual or automatic, may expose a substrate to contaminates or damage the substrate.